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By A. Mainza, I. Govender, Elbasher M. E. Ahmed

A mechanistic description of axial segregation in rotating drum flows remains an open question. Consequently, optimal mixing of grinding balls and rocks for efficient breakage, maximum production of fines, and slurry transport is seldom achieved. Experimental and numerical studies of granular mixtures in rotating drums identify alternating axial bands that eventually coarsen in the long-term limit. Most models of axial segregation are limited to binary mixtures and cannot always predict the logarithmic coarsening effects observed experimentally. A key missing factor is a robust description of the axial free surface profile that is valid across a wide range of flow regimes. We present a practical model of the axial free surface profile by linking it to readily-derived geometric features of the cross-sectional S-shaped free surface profile. A parametric study shows good agreement with experimental measurements reported in the literature and heuristically valid trends.

May 1, 2021

By F. Wang, P. Rosario, A. Vazirizadeh

Advances in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are transforming mining and mineral processing, and making them more algorithm intensive. The paradigm is shifting from one of detection and control to one of prediction and optimisation. To build up reliable prediction and optimisation models these steps should be passed: collect, aggregate, cleanse, and process large amounts of complex, structured, and unstructured data as a first stage. Next, the right tools must be used to extract meaningful features from the operational data for the build-up of a prediction model. A grinding circuit is one of the challenging areas in terms of determining its overall efficiency and the prediction of product quality. In a processing plant, some of the KPIs are typically unmeasurable or infrequently measured for real-time application, e.g. ore grindability and grind size. However, these variables are required to calculate the grinding circuit efficiency and to model the operation performance. In this paper, advanced analytic tools have been used to extract one selected KPI (cyclone overall P80 or final grind size) and its relationship with measured variables for an industrial dataset. The results illustrate that the performance of the grinding circuit can be predicted for real-time monitoring by means of measured data. Keywords: Grinding circuit, data-driven, machine learning, process modelling, hybrid modelling

Jan 1, 2020

By J. L. Havenga, L. J. van der Walt, J. T. Nel

"SynopsisThe development of plasma technology at Necsa started in the early 1980s, when the applicability of high-temperature plasmas in the nuclear fuel cycle was investigated. Since 1995, this plasma expertise has expanded to other industrial applications, for example mineral beneficiation, nanotechnology, fluorocarbon production and waste treatment, all of which are also of relevance to the nuclear industry.Necsa has demonstrated the manufacture of plasma-dissociated zircon, zirconium metal powder, carbon nanotubes, silicon carbide (SiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC) and boron carbide (B4C) at the laboratory and pilot plant scale. These materials are commonly used in the nuclear industry. Zirconium alloys are used as fuel cladding material for nuclear fuel assemblies.Necsa manufactured the monomer tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), using 150 and 450 kW DC plasma systems, from which the polymer polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was synthesized for use in filters and as seals in nuclear plants. With the nuclear renaissance at hand, it was demonstrated that plasma technology can be used to produce hydrofluoric acid (HF), which is used in the manufacture of fluorine gas (F2) for the production of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) directly from the mineral calcium fluoride (CaF2) without the use of sulphuric acid as in the conventional process. The recovery of valuable uranium from nuclear waste such as filters, oils, and solids with plasma processes will also be discussed. The destruction of low-level nuclear waste by a plasma gasification system can reduce the volume of this waste by several orders in magnitude, resulting in huge savings in the storage costs. Another product of plasma technology is the encapsulation process for nuclear waste and the production of vitrified product, which could be used as filler material for medium-level nuclear waste.IntroductionDuring the 1980s, a plasma research and development programme was launched at the erstwhile Uranium Enrichment Corporation of South Africa (UCOR) at Valindaba outside Pretoria. The main purpose of this programme was to develop alternative and more economical processes for the processing and manufacturing of uranium compounds used in the nuclear fuel cycle. The conversion of UO2 (as received from uranium mines) to UF6, which is needed for enrichment, conventionally involves several laborious, expensive, chemical processing steps. Plasma processes can eliminate several of the intermediate steps. Enriched UF6 is converted to UO2, which is pressed into pellets that are used in nuclear power plants. Plasma technology could also be used in a modified and optimized conversion process."

Jan 1, 2015

By I. Serepa, N. C. Steenkamp

Investigations were conducted to determine the condition and stability of the existing decline at amine in the Kalahari Manganese Field, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. During the inspection of the decline, voids were identified behind the concrete lining on the hangingwall and sidewalls over a total linear distance of 230 m. The voids did not provide confinement and, as a result, self-mining was occurring behind the lining. Water was flowing into the decline, over a total linear distance of 100 m, at areas where the decline intersected incompetent rock units, causing softening of the concrete lining and deterioration of the surrounding rock mass. Further damage to the concrete lining was caused by expansion and contraction of the wet red clay unit. Remedial work comprised void filling and water sealing to prevent further deterioration of the decline and ensure that it remained operable for the remainder of the life of mine. Void filling was accomplished by drilling rows of holes along the decline to access the voids and filling the voids with foam. This was followed by the sealing with polymer fluids. Telescopic pipes were also installed to allow water to drain off. A visual inspection was conducted and check-holes were drilled to assess the quality of the remedial work. The void filling material had penetrated cracks in the concrete lining, and areas where voids were intersected by check-holes were re-filled. Additional holes were drilled to re-seal areas that were still wet. The remedial work was completed successfully, as all voids were filled and stability achieved without compromising the concrete lining. The ingress of groundwater was also reduced to some residual dampness.

Mar 2, 2022

By M. J. Latva-Kokko, CA Snyders, J. R. Peltola, M. K. Kostiainen

It is well known that carbon management is essential for minimising soluble gold losses in carbonin- leach (CIL) and carbon-in-pulp (CIP) circuits. Even so, carbon measurements remain predominantly a manual operation with a low amount of control and automation around CIL and CIP reactors. Carbon inventory, i.e. knowing the carbon concentration in each reactor, is crucial for good carbon management. CarbonSense, a novel in-situ measurement system, was therefore developed for continuous monitoring of the carbon concentration in each reactor and paves the way for more advanced control in gold operations. The carbon management and optimisation system is based on Outotec® HSC Sim dynamic process simulations where each process component is modelled in detail. Generated models are validated with real data from a particular operation. The simulator will allow for the carbon control sequence to be realistically tested and the efficiency optimised by controlling the feed and discharge pumps in a hazard- and risk-free process environment. Furthermore, by combining CarbonSense and Outotec® gold courier (online soluble gold measurements) continuous feed-forward and feedback information can be obtained. The optimiser will then define the best running parameters based on the cost function of gold production versus intrinsic factors such as utility costs and adsorption time. Eventually, the application can be installed parallel with a real process island and it can be continuously calibrated with real-time process data. The dynamic model will then create future predictions for the entire process island. The example case presents a CIL circuit, which is simulated using Outotec® HSC Chemistry Sim and operated through Outotec® ACT (Advanced Control Tool) application. Keywords: Carbon-in-leach, CIL, CarbonSense, carbon management, automated control, simulation

Jan 1, 2020

By A. W. S. Schumann

A. W. S. Schumann The first reason for todays success lies in the very high standard which was set by our speakers today and I think that we owe a very special vote of thanks to Messrs P. M. C. Wilson, A. A. Oakes, M. J. Deats, A. C. Coetzee, R. E. Burnton and J. G. Ferguson. This, however, cannot account for the fact that there was a tremendous response even before anyone knew who was going to speak or what they were going to speak about. I suggest that the response was enthusiastic because people expected a more informal gathering with a greater opportunity for feedback, for an exchange of views and for questions and answers. The very popularity of the idea has defeated its own ends to some extent. This gathering is too big and many people must have been left with questions unanswered. Possibly one should arrange for a number of meeting places-there are many in the Chamber and the surrounding mining houses-and then have separate meetings in the morning with joint reporting session in the afternoon. Alternatively, we could have a symposium after the colloquium, using Webster's definition of a symposium as as 'a drinking party of merry fellows'. We all know that it is easy to discuss mining into the small hours. Obviously one cannot summarise todays papers and discussions, but I would like to make a few comments on technical matters and after that I would like to speak for a moment about what I see as major trends or tendencies which arise from discussions of this nature. Regarding the question of placing a village on a mine or away from a mine, I would mention that there is quite a body of literature on the adverse sociological effects on the development of children in any community in which the great majority of parents share the same occupation. It is something to be avoided if possible. We discussed the concept of the moving stockpile. If this is proved to be successful, it could save a considerable amount of money for Escom who could then avoid the construction of very large and costly staithes which are now regarded as parts of power stations. One does not see why both a moving stockpile and a staith should be necessary. By the way, speaking of Escom, I see that Mr Bob Scott is here; he has stopped pulling my leg by saying that we sell stone to Escom; perhaps someone has told him that if this is true, it must be the cheapest stone you can buy in this country. My next point relates to the use of epidiascope. It struck me again that this instrument which provides a visual image to accompany your message, can be very effective if it is properly used. These papers speak of a great deal of hard work which went into their preparation, and one really feels that the authors should have taken a few minutes more to prepare their drawings specifically for the epidiascope. There should be nothing on the drawing which is not necessary to illustrate a particular point and there should be nothing on the drawing which is not visible from the back of the hall. In particular, if one cannot read the figures along the sides, then one

By Y. J. F. Haven, G. H. J. Kitson, D. G. Beadle

I have read this paper with considerable interest. By using an automatic instrument to assess the dust samples taken in South African collieries, the authors are ahead of the gold mining industry, which still uses the laborious method of microscopic assessment, with its limited accuracy, of the half-a-million dust samples taken each year. As the authors state, the result obtained from the photoelectric assessment of the samples is approximately proportional to the surface area of the respirable dust. However, modern theory is that, in assessing coal dust, it is the respirable mass which is important in determining the danger to health. Thus Table II of their paper is of considerable value in showing the relationship between the P.E.R. value and the mass concentration measurement. Unfortunately this table only gives the mean relationship. The important point is to know the scatter around this mean. If the scatter is small, then this mean value (for different operations) would have considerable value in converting from respirable surface area to respirable mass, but if the scatter is large, then such a conversion, using a fixed factor, will have little value. In the text the authors mention the range of values as being between 3 to 24, but without a statement on the number of samples used to determine this range and their distribution, this is a rather nebulous statement. I hope, in their reply, that the authors will give, in statistical terms, some statement on the overall correlation between these two parameters. I might add that at present a member of my staff is working on similar relationships for dust samples taken in gold mines. Another factor which may well be most important in determining the danger of dust levels in coal mines is the composition of the dust, specifically its quartz content. I understand that the authors have some information on this point, and to make their results of greater value in International comparisons of dust levels and the concomitant development of pneumoconiosis, it will be extremely useful if they could place this information on record. Even though, as I have said above, modern theory postulates that respirable mass is a better parameter to use than respirable surface area, the problem remains of how to measure this parameter with short time sampling, which, as the authors point out, is their preferred strategy for dust sampling and dust control. I know of no easily portable instrument, independent of external power supplies, which can, in 5 to 10 minutes, collect sufficient dust to enable it to be weighed accurately. Thus the authors' implied intention of continuing to sample by their present techniques and using their present parameter to report the results is, in my opinion, an entirely valid decision.

Jan 10, 1968

By J. Uys, P. J. Mokganya, J. Olwagen, R. C. W. Webber-Youngman

This article discusses the critical role of leadership in the technology adoption process within organizations, particularly in industries like mining, where innovation is essential for maintaining competitiveness and operational efficiency. It highlights the limitations of traditional technology adoption models, such as the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Diffusion of Innovations (DOI), and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), which focus on individual factors and overlook the strategic and organizational roles of leadership. The study proposes the Ambidextrous Leadership-Technology Adoption (ALTA) model, which integrates leadership styles such as transformational, transactional, adaptive, and ambidextrous leadership into the technology adoption process. The model emphasizes the balance between exploration (fostering innovation) and exploitation (ensuring operational efficiency). The findings suggest that transformational leadership fosters innovation by encouraging risk-taking and creativity, while transactional leadership ensures efficient technology integration. The article also identifies key barriers to technology adoption, such as organizational resistance to change, which can be mitigated through adaptive leadership that addresses employee concerns. The research emphasizes the importance of a supportive organizational culture and cross-functional collaboration, which are essential for successful technology adoption. The study concludes by offering practical recommendations for leaders to foster a culture of innovation, manage resistance, and balance short-term efficiency with long-term technological advancement.

Nov 27, 2024

By C. B. Carelse, M. Manuel, D. Chetty

Automated mineralogical analysis of platinum group minerals (PGM), using the mineral liberation analyser, provides information used to understand flotation efficiency, primarily from a PGM liberation and association standpoint. To date, however, there is no consistent understanding regarding PGM speciation and its impact on floatability. Previous studies of PGM from UG2 ores concluded that a larger dataset is needed from which the various parameters can be modelled. Parameters on telluride, arsenide, sulfurarsenide and alloy species need to be integrated to fully understand the impact of PGM speciation on flotation, and for this, ores other than PGE-sulfide-rich UG2 must be assessed. Flotation rougher rate tests were performed on feed samples from two Platreef ores to determine the flotation response of individual liberated PGM species. This was achieved through automated mineralogical analysis of feed, rougher concentrates and tails. Based on 1529 liberated PGM grains assessed over the circuit for two Platreef ores, preliminary results show that PGM speciation, species grain size and competition from gangue appear to influence floatability in an ‘optimised’ laboratory environment. Keywords: PGM, PGM species, flotation, liberation

Jan 1, 2020

By K. Naidoo, M. Pelser, J. Hagemann, K. C. Sole

The copper tankhouse at Rustenburg Base Metals Refinery is an essential component of the Anglo American Platinum value chain. The tankhouse uses starter-sheet technology that was adopted in the 1980s, so dependence on manually intensive labour and overall operational excellence has a significant impact on process performance. An efficient, stable, and sustainable electrowinning process contributes to minimising energy consumption and reducing operational costs, and enables improved product quality and increased throughput. Historic performance of this tankhouse has often been suboptimum over prolonged periods. An in-depth operational review of performance from 2018–2024 was carried out to understand challenges, risks, and high-impact factors that contribute to poor performance. Implementation of adherence to fundamental operational basics identified from global best practice, such as the frequency and quality of cell cleaning and maintenance, preventing backlogged harvesting or maintenance, preserving cell-top furniture conditions and integrity of electrodes, preventing short circuits and poor current distribution, and maintaining a high level of operational discipline, has since contributed to an era of exceptional performance. Root-cause analysis fault trees pertaining to poor current efficiency and high scrap rate are summarised. Current efficiency has significantly improved since 2021, now consistently exceeding 88%. The copper scrap rate, previously believed to be limited to a minimum of 4%, achieved a historic monthly low record of 2.06% in 2023. Chemical and physical quality has considerably improved, and cathodes exhibit minimal morphological defects.

Jun 27, 2025

By E. J. Y., G. J. McLachlan, E. Amini, Koha

Inferring individual component flotation rates from recovery-time data of ore complexes is important in optimising and designing minerals processing plants. However, existing two-component first-order flotation models are computationally intensive to solve using conventional non-linear least squares regression. In this paper, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is used to approximate the inverse function which predicts the two-component first-order model parameters using recovery-time data. This paper compares the accuracy and computation speed of the proposed CNN against traditional non-linear least squares regression on 1 million generated data based on a known two-component firstorder kinetic model. It is shown that using a CNN is possible to approximate the inverse function for the non-invertible two-component model with recovery-time as an input matrix for convolution operations. The CNN method is 450 times faster to compute than the Trust-Region (TR) non-linear least squares regression algorithm. However, the CNN model is less accurate compared to the TR algorithm overall. Keywords: Flotation kinetics, convolutional neural network, inverse problem, modelling and simulations

Jan 1, 2020

By K. Muchima, C. Siame, L. Little, B. Kaputula, Q. Mclennan

"The variability of copper mineralization at Kansanshi mine significantly affects the efficiencies of the processes used to recover copper. Quantifying this variability is therefore essential for monitoring and optimizing the performance of the concentrator, which comprises three different flotation circuits (sulphide, mixed, and oxide) and an atmospheric leach circuit. Onsite automated scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (Auto-SEM-EDS) is used to analyse routine weekly composite samples for each circuit, providing detailed analyses of bulk mineralogy, copper deportment to different minerals, mineral liberation, and associations. Weekly mineralogical trends are used to assess changes in process performance, and characterization of the copper losses has inspired a number of projects to target the specific particle types responsible for the main losses. In this paper we describe the relationship between mineralogy and plant performance at Kansanshi, and discus IntroductionKansanshi is a copper and gold mine located in the Northwestern Province of Zambia, with an annual production in the region of 250 000 t of copper and 160 000 ounces of gold. Ore mined from the epigenetic vein-hosted deposit is classified into three ore types based on the extent of oxidation and supergene enrichment. Sulphide, oxide, and mixed ore are fed to separate mineral processing circuits tailored for recovery of the dominant copper minerals in each. After comminution to a target grind size of 80% passing 150 µm, each ore type is subjected to flotation to recover the copper sulphide minerals (chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, covellite). The oxide float tails and a large proportion of the mixed float tails are then treated by atmospheric leaching to extract copper from the remaining copper-hosting minerals, which include cuprite, malachite, chrysocolla, and delafossite. Some native copper is recovered by flotation and some of it is recovered by leaching. A small portion of the combined concentrate from all circuits is subjected to high-pressure leaching and the rest is sent to the smelter. Sulphuric acid produced during smelting is used for the atmospheric leach."

Nov 1, 2018

By and Z. S. Abisheva, Z. B. Karshigina, Ye. G. Bochevskay, A. S. Sharipova

The production of precipitated silica in the United States is about 145,000 tons of SiO2 and its prices vary significantly (from $ 1 to $ 4.5 per kg) depending on the area of its application. One of the most important parameters is its specific surface characterising dispersion (particle size and shape, presence or absence of pores), at a certain value of which the material acquires new properties and quality. At present, a technology has been developed for processing slag from phosphorus production to produce precipitated silica (‘white soot’) with a high specific surface and the possibility of extracting valuable components such as rare-earth metals (REMs) into a product enriched with them has been shown. However, the content of impurities in the deposited silicon dioxide, such as aluminum and iron, is above acceptable limits and may affect the quality of the final products. Therefore, along with the structure and specific surface, a very important characteristic of ‘white soot’ is the chemical purity of the material. In turn, calcium oxide occupies a significant share in the concentrate of rare-earth metals, which affects the content of ΣREMs oxides, which does not exceed 17.3 %. The low content of a valuable component may affect the feasibility of further processing. For the most complete utilisation of phosphorus slag, the authors propose a method for their acid processing, which allows for minimising the conversion of impurities to finely divided silica and collective concentrate, which will improve the quality of these products. Keywords: Phosphorus slag, precipitated silicon dioxide, rare earth metals, leaching, white soot, specific surface, technology

Jan 1, 2020

By J. P. Gouvea

Back-analysis of two mining-induced tremors in 2011 was used to determine a modelling criterion for the entire Klerksdorp Goldfield (i.e., Vaal Reefs region). At that time, most mining operations in the region were owned by AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) and shared many geotechnical similarities. By 2018 AGA had sold off all its Klerksdorp operations to different mining companies, which continued applying the 2011 modelling criterion. As mining activities became more remote, scattered, and isolated, the extraction of isolated blocks of ground and remnants became increasingly necessary. However, the inherited criterion allowed only minimal or no mining activities at these areas. Keeping in mind that safety is the overriding consideration, an innovative numerical modelling approach, which includes the application of peak particle velocity designs, was developed to provide practitioners in the Klerksdorp Goldfield with a suitable criterion to justifiably and safely mine isolated blocks of ground and remnants. This would not always be possible if a conformist approach was used.

Mar 14, 2024

By E. Mokgwamme, T. Goff, M. Mvalelwa, P. Spratt, P. Bezuidenhout, P. Nkosi, H. Joubert, G. de Villiers

Sibanye-Stillwater recently completed a partial sidewall rebuild on Furnace 1 at its Marikana smelter complex. The project involved matte taphole maintenance, which required the removal and subsequent replacement of 18 composite copper-graphite coolers and a section of the lower refractory sidewall. These composite copper-graphite coolers are a newly developed cooling design by Tenova Pyromet, and this rebuild project provided valuable insight into the performance of the composite coolers. The novel composite cooler design was implemented to serve as a safeguard against localised wear and corrosion in the furnace sidewall, particularly at the slag-concentrate interface, where chloride-accelerated sulphidation has been identified as a dominant degradation mechanism affecting the copper cooling elements. The composite cooler design is unique in that all the exposed sides of the water-cooled copper elements are fully encapsulated in graphite, which protects the copper from corrosive sulphur- and chlorinebearing gases and condensates. This sidewall cooling system was designed to improve corrosion resistance, stabilise freeze lining formation, and extend the campaign life of the furnace sidewall. The partial sidewall rebuild was executed during a planned maintenance shutdown with the main objective of replacing the matte taphole lintel bricks. This paper serves as a case study that compares and evaluates the operational performance of the composite coolers before and after the rebuild. The installation method is discussed to highlight the approach taken to ensure a sound installation while minimising downtime, as well as to present some lessons learned in the process.

Mar 6, 2026

By A. N. Clay, N. N. Moeketsi, S. Joubert

For many years, mine-impacted water has been regarded as a problem and linked to long-term environmental liabilities. However, this water can be a renewable and a sustainable resource, provided that it is managed in a responsible and sensible manner. South Africa’s National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS, 2013) considers water that can be used to contribute to economic activity to be a water resource. Although all water resources are considered as belonging to the State, government does not appear to have meaningfully explored the use of mineimpacted water to contribute to the country’s economic activity. Africa is blessed with more sunshine than anywhere else, apart from Australia, yet we see no rollout of vast quantities of solar panels to ensure every African family has access to affordable power. This suggests that governments are incapable of managing such a free resource. At the same time, apart from the equatorial areas, water is a seriously constrained resource and yet we expect the same entities to manage a commodity none of us can live without. This paper explores the conversion of mine-impacted water from waste to a resource and how the inclusion of other stakeholders (such as water users, landowners, and ordinary South Africans) could benefit the process.

Jan 2, 2022

By T. Bhambhani, E. Arinaitwe

Solvay has developed several novel reagent innovations to improve separations in sulfide ore flotation and address major industry challenges. These innovations include: a) carbon management strategies to reduce the deleterious impact of organic carbon on flotation circuits; b) new collectors for heavily tarnished or oxidized Cu-Au ores; and c) a functionalized depressant for minimizing penalty elements in metal concentrates. Owing to their unique chemistries, these innovations exhibit a wide spectrum of rather unique properties that are quite in contrast to the traditionally used reagents. The chemistry, attributes, application, and advantages of these innovations are discussed in this paper based on laboratory, pilot, and plant results and observations for various ores

Jan 1, 2023

Slope stability is a fundamental part of a successful mining operation. It impacts directly on the safety of personnel and the economics of the mine. The Jwaneng Mine in Botswana is planning a push back of 644m depth in the south east wall. Mining will commence in 2010 and be completed in 2024. This will put the mine in the deep pit category. The mine has invested in extensive geotechnical data gathering and design programs that started as far back as 2003 for the south east wall. The south east wail of Jwaneng Mine is characterized by foliation that dips adversely into the mining faces. The orienta1ion of the foliation is variable due to intense tectonic movements that have also caused the occurrence of faults that are sub-vertical. A considerable amount of information on the characteristics of structural patterns and the rock mass has been collected. This paper presents an overview of the feasibility level geotechnical design that is about to be concluded.

Jan 1, 2010

By G. R. Lane

My opportunity to serve as President of the prestigious Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) was made possible by an Anglo American scholarship 39 years ago—a pivotal moment that set me on a career path spanning various roles and start-up ventures in the mining industry. Over the past decade, I have been privileged to broaden my experience by consulting across diverse industries globally. This exposure revealed something profound: what I had previously considered mining-specific challenges are, in fact, universal across many sectors. At its core, a mining operation is a complex system of interconnected activities—from exploration through mining operations like drill and blast, load and haul, to beneficiation, and outbound logistics. My cross-industry work has clearly shown that diverse sectors, such as chocolate manufacturing, tissue paper production, toilet paper converting facilities, labgrown diamonds, or high-tech equipment lifecycle management, all rely on value streams of interconnected activities to transform products. The objective is to maximise throughput while effectively managing performance variability. The primary difference lies solely in the specific technical expertise required for each industry, such as chemical, mining, processing, or metallurgical engineering. Across all these industries, I have observed a consistent pattern, that is, performance is primarily driven by individual efforts, where people react and work diligently as situations unfold in real-time. General managers and their teams often operate tactically, focusing on explaining yesterday’s poor performance rather than proactively setting up operations for success. This often resembles an ‘‘under-7s soccer match’’, with everyone chasing the ball. The common response to issues is to add more ad hoc meetings. This effort-driven organisational behaviour persists regardless of whether operations are greenfield digital manufacturing facilities, advanced digital mines with advanced process control, or operations run on paper and Excel spreadsheets for data acquisition. Paradoxically, more real-time data can lead to increased data noise, greater indecision, and sometimes, lower performance. Despite value streams often operating significantly below capacity, organisations continue to invest heavily in additional equipment or in ‘‘glossy brochure promises’’ of Industry 4.0 digital technology and real-time data solutions, which frequently fail to deliver value. This leads to a critical question: Have we underinvested in our most valuable resource— people? Even Tesla faced this challenge with their underperforming fully automated Model X facility. We must shift our focus to designing the ecosystem, or operating model, of our organisations. This extends beyond the traditional triad of people, process, and technology, and moves beyond simplistic views of change management. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to add significant value, but it also introduces another layer of complexity into designing the organisation of the future. My full presidential address below at the SAIMM AGM discussed the symptoms of an effort-driven organisation and covered the fundamental building blocks and requirements of an operating model, including recommendations on implementing a people-centric approach.

Oct 2, 2025

By I. Y. Motovilov, S. A. Telkov, M. B. Barmenshinova, Z. S. Abisheva

As a rule, removing waste rock at the beginning of the process improves the conditions for the flotation of minerals, and also reduces the operating costs of crushing, grinding and flotation. Lead-zinc ores in the Shalkiya deposit of the Republic of Kazakhstan are classified as difficult for enrichment, but taking into account their significant reserves, they are one of the main potential ores for the production of lead and zinc. Under industrial conditions, for processing ores of the Shalkiya deposit, a selective flotation concentration scheme with the production of lead and zinc concentrates is recommended. However, according to the recommended scheme, it is not possible to obtain high-quality concentrates of lead and zinc, with high metal recovery. The paper presents the results of studies of preliminary gravitational enrichment of lead-zinc ore in the Shalkiya deposit. Based on the fractional analysis for the particle size range of -40+8 mm, Henri- Reingard enrichment curves were constructed, separation density (2730 kg /m3) was established to isolate the light fraction with the lowest possible lead and zinc content, and gravity enrichment indices (0.7-0.71) were determined. It was found out that when using gravitational enrichment of the original large-sized ore in the Shalkiya deposit, tails are released at the beginning of the technological process with a yield of up to 20% with the extraction of silica up to 30%, calcite up to 11% and carbonaceous matter up to 12%. As a result of the studies, it was found that the beneficiation of crushed lump ore could be conducted in heavy suspensions. One of the positive aspects of the use of gravitational enrichment is the reduction of energy costs for grinding the heavy fraction, which was experimentally proved in this article. Keywords: Lead-zinc ores, Shalkiya deposit, fractional analysis, gravitational enrichment, floating fraction, sunken fraction, separation density

Jan 1, 2020